How to Get Hair Out of Drain Pipes: Sink, Shower and Tub

Hair is behind the majority of bathroom clogs, and it rarely acts alone. Strands wrap around the drain stopper or crossbars, then soap scum and conditioner glue them into a dense mat that chemicals struggle to dissolve. The fastest way to get hair out of drain openings is mechanical: pull it out with a plastic zip strip, a pair of long tweezers, or a small drain snake, then rinse with hot water. Chemicals come second, if at all.

For most sinks, showers, and tubs the job takes 10 to 20 minutes. Remove the stopper or drain cover, fish out the visible hair, feed a barbed zip strip 6 to 12 inches down the pipe to hook the deeper clump, and flush. If water still drains slowly, use a small hand auger or remove the P-trap under the sink. Enzyme drain cleaners are useful for maintenance, but they are slow; caustic cleaners work faster on hair yet carry real risks for pipes and people.

Knowing how to get hair out of drain pipes yourself saves a service call and keeps harsh chemicals out of your plumbing. Below you will find the right approach for each type of drain, the pros and cons of different cleaners, and the catchers that keep the problem from coming back.

The Fastest Way to Get Hair Out of Drain Openings

Almost every hair clog sits within the first 12 inches of the drain. In a bathroom sink, it collects on the pop-up stopper and the pivot rod that runs through the tailpiece. In a shower, it wraps around the crossbars beneath the strainer. In a tub, it hides around the stopper linkage or in the overflow tube. That shallow location is good news, because it means you can reach it without taking apart the plumbing.

If you are asking about the best way to get hair out of shower drain openings in particular, the answer is almost always a zip strip. These flexible plastic strips cost a few dollars, have backward-facing barbs along both edges, and slip past the crossbars where fingers and pliers cannot fit.

Tools and Materials

• Plastic drain zip strip: 18 to 24 inches long, around $3 to $8.
• Long tweezers or needle-nose pliers: for visible hair around a stopper.
• Small hand auger (drum snake): 15 to 25 feet of 1/4-inch cable for deeper clogs, roughly $15 to $40.
• Screwdriver: flat and Phillips, for strainer screws.
• Rubber gloves and an old towel or bucket.
• Flashlight to see into the drain.
• Cup plunger (a flat-bottom sink plunger, not a toilet flange plunger).
• Enzyme drain maintainer for monthly upkeep.
• Drain hair catcher sized for your drain.

How to Clean Hair from a Bathroom Sink Drain

A sink blocked with hair usually has a pop-up stopper coated in slime. Here is how to clear it.

1. Clear the cabinet. Empty the space under the sink and lay a towel down.
2. Release the stopper. Behind the drainpipe you will see a horizontal pivot rod held by a nut. Unscrew that nut, pull the rod back, and lift the stopper straight up. Some stoppers simply twist and lift out.
3. Clean the stopper. Pull the hair off with gloved fingers or tweezers and scrub away the gray film with an old toothbrush.
4. Use a zip strip. Push it down the drain as far as it goes, twist slightly, and pull slowly. Repeat until it comes up clean.
5. Flush with hot water. Run hot tap water for a minute. Never pour boiling water into a sink with PVC drain pipes or a porcelain basin that could crack.
6. Reassemble. Drop the stopper back in, thread the pivot rod through its loop, and snug the nut by hand. Check for drips.

If the sink still drains slowly, the hair may have moved into the P-trap. Put a bucket underneath, loosen the two slip nuts, and remove the U-shaped trap. Clean it out, then reinstall it hand-tight plus a quarter turn.

How to Get Hair Out of a Shower Drain

1. Remove the strainer. Most shower strainers are held by one or two screws or simply snap in. Some screw in; turn counterclockwise with a pair of pliers handles inserted crosswise.
2. Pull out visible hair. Use tweezers or needle-nose pliers to grab what is wrapped around the crossbars.
3. Feed a zip strip down. Work it down past the crossbars, twist, and pull. Expect a surprising clump.
4. Use a hand auger if needed. If the zip strip does not reach, feed the auger cable in, tighten the thumbscrew, and crank clockwise while pushing gently. When you feel resistance, keep turning to hook the clog, then pull it back out.
5. Flush and test. Run the shower for two minutes and watch for pooling.

How to Unclog Hair from a Bathtub Drain

Tub drains vary more than any other type. A lift-and-turn or toe-touch stopper unscrews from the drain body. A trip-lever tub has a linkage that runs down inside the overflow; remove the two screws on the overflow plate and pull the whole linkage and plunger out, which usually brings plenty of hair along. Clean it, run a zip strip through the drain opening, and use the auger through the overflow opening for deeper clogs, since that route avoids the tight bend at the tub shoe.

Before plunging a tub, cover the overflow opening with a wet rag. Otherwise the air pressure escapes there instead of pushing the clog.

Best Drain Cleaner for Hair Clogs: Enzyme vs Caustic

People searching for the best drain unclogger for hair often expect a bottle to do the work. Chemicals can help, but understanding the tradeoffs keeps you and your pipes safe.

Enzyme cleaners are safe for all pipes and septic systems. They are excellent for prevention but too slow for a drain that is already backed up. Pour them in at night when the drain will sit unused for several hours.

Caustic gels can break down hair, but they generate heat, can damage older metal pipes and some finishes, and are dangerous if they splash. Never mix chemical cleaners, never plunge after pouring one in, and never use one before calling a plumber; the technician will then have to work in a pipe full of corrosive liquid. Wear gloves and eye protection, ventilate the room, and follow the label exactly.

A simple baking soda and vinegar treatment followed by hot water loosens light soap film but will not dissolve a hair mat. Think of it as a freshener, not a fix.

Troubleshooting a Stubborn Hair Clog

• Zip strip comes up clean but the drain is slow: the clog is past the trap. Use a 25-foot auger or check whether other fixtures are also slow, which points to a branch or main line problem.
• Water gurgles or bubbles back: this can indicate a vent issue rather than hair.
• Clog returns within weeks: residue remains on the pipe walls. Follow the mechanical cleaning with a monthly enzyme treatment.
• Stopper will not come out: it may be a threaded model. Turn it counterclockwise while holding the drain body steady.
• Multiple drains backing up at once: stop and call a plumber; that is not a hair problem.

Preventing Hair Clogs

The cheapest fix is the one you never need. A drain catcher costs $5 to $20 and prevents almost all hair clogs.

• Dome or mesh catchers sit over a shower drain and trap hair on top where you can wipe it away.
• Insert-style catchers fit inside the drain opening and suit sinks and tubs.
• Silicone catchers are flexible, easy to rinse, and do not rust.
• Brush before showering to remove loose strands that would otherwise go down the drain.
• Empty the catcher after each use or at least a few times per week.
• Run hot water for 30 seconds after using conditioner or oils.

Typical Costs

Choosing to get hair out of drain openings yourself is inexpensive: a zip strip runs a few dollars, a hand auger typically $15 to $40, and an enzyme maintainer around $10 to $25 per bottle. A plumber’s visit to clear a single bathroom drain usually falls somewhere around $125 to $300, depending on your area and whether it is an after-hours call. Main line clearing with a motorized machine or camera inspection can cost several hundred dollars more.

When to Call a Plumber

Call a plumber when a clog persists after snaking, when several fixtures back up together, when you smell sewer gas, or when water appears in a floor drain or lower-level tub as you run another fixture. Those signs point to a blockage in a branch or main line that a hand tool cannot reach. Also call if the drain pipe is cracked, leaking under the cabinet, or if you already used a caustic chemical and the drain is still full of standing water.